A new survey released today revealed what we’ve long suspected—people strongly support interest-based advertising on the Internet. They especially support this type of advertising if it means that they won’t have to pay to visit what are now their favorite free ad-supported websites.

According to a new Zogby survey commissioned by the Digital Advertising Alliance, more than 57 percent of respondents said they wouldn’t pay to visit any free, ad-supported site they currently use if those sites converted to a pay model. Fewer than 5 percent of the respondents said they would be willing to pay in order to continue to access the free, ad-funded websites they currently visit. Internet users clearly appreciate that advertising powers the Internet. Advertising levels the market place and information playing fields by providing all consumers with continued access to free content that they currently enjoy.

The poll also shows that Internet users are overwhelmingly supportive of interest-based advertising when they learn about the protections and choices available to them. The more users learn about their choices, the more comfortable they become with interest-based advertising.

The Association of National Advertisers has long believed that consumers should have the ability to make their own choices in controlling their Internet experience. The only way web users can truly control the ads they see is to be empowered to take action to make these determinations themselves. Fortunately, consumers have that ability. The Digital Advertising Alliance, an alliance of advertising interests, maintains a robust program that allows consumers to dictate whether or not they receive interest-based advertisements. Users have the freedom to choose quickly and easily whether or not they would like to receive interest-based ads.

Users can click on the Advertising Option Icon on the corner of a banner ad for more information on the ads they see and choose to opt-out. Not only are users given a choice, but they have the opportunity to learn why they are receiving these ads. Since its inception in 2010, more than 25 million consumers have visited the DAA coalition’s websites – AboutAds.info and YourAdChoices.com – and only two million of them have taken action to choose to opt out of receiving interest-based advertising.

In fact, today’s survey found that if an ad has the “advertising option” icon, users will feel more comfortable about these ads. The survey revealed that 73 percent of polled consumers said they’d feel more comfortable with interest-based ads if they knew they had access to the protection that the DAA currently provides with the opt-out and more information links, limitations on data collection, and third party enforcement. By providing users with information on interest-based advertising, companies and brands are only enhancing their advertising power. These findings demonstrate that businesses that participate in the self-regulatory effort engender greater trust from their consumers.

The Internet has brought an unprecedented wealth of free and valuable content, directly supported by revenue generated by serving relevant ads. For the consumer, it’s a service. It is another way for consumers to receive information that is relevant to their specific needs. Consumers are guaranteed ads that are more likely to interest them rather than being inundated with ads in which they have no interest. As the survey found, users are committed to advertising-supported content. By a ratio of five-to-one, users said their favorite Internet sites were supported by advertising (50 percent) rather than subscription fees (10 percent).